Aston Lukoye
Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic has been slapped with an eight-game ban following his misconduct during the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United on March 19.
The Serbia striker was charged with violent conduct towards referee Chris Kavanagh after he pushed the official during the match. Mitrovic received a standard three-match ban for the red card he received, but the ban has since been extended to eight games – three for violent conduct towards the match official and an additional two for using abusive language. He also admitted to the latter offence and was fined £75,000.
Mitrovic, who is 28 years old, missed the first game of his suspension in Fulham’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, and he will now miss the next seven top-flight matches for the club. Despite his guilty plea to the improper language charge, he unsuccessfully disputed the violent conduct charge.
The news of Mitrovic’s lengthy ban comes as a blow to Fulham, who are currently battling relegation from the Premier League. Mitrovic has been a key player for the club this season, having scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in 24 league appearances. Fulham will now have to cope without their star striker for a significant period, which could prove to be detrimental to their hopes of avoiding the drop.
The incident has drawn widespread criticism from fans and pundits alike, with many condemning Mitrovic’s behaviour as unacceptable. It serves as a reminder to players that they are expected to maintain a high standard of conduct on and off the pitch, and that there are severe consequences for those who fail to do so. Mitrovic’s ban will undoubtedly be a lesson to him and other players in the league about the importance of respecting match officials and upholding the values of fair play.
